Couldn’t stay away… hee hee

On By Barbara StroudIn HOME, THOUGHTSLeave a comment
Image via http://www.staples.com

I know yesterday I said I might take the weekend off, but since WordPress is offering a topic a day to blog about I hate to not participate… Today’s topic: How do you stay focused?

Well, let me start by saying I have a pretty great system that works well for me… on the other hand sometimes I think I’m stuck in the zone, and on paper I am über organized, yet I haven’t actually gotten anything done yet, ha ha… I have a journal that I write notes in basically, what I need to do for the day, what to make for dinner, what I need at the store, who I’ve contacted, medical notes, notes about pretty much anything during the day. IT COMES IN HANDY. I can refer back to it at any time and pull up important details that would otherwise be lost. I also have a monthly day planner like the one in the picture. I prefer the cheap thin ones to the thick ones, I seem to use it more. So between the journal and the monthly planner, oh, and my BlackBerry Calendar I know where I should be and when I should be there… How do you stay focused? Hope your Saturday is a great one! Until tomorrow?

If you get a chance, check out my other blog at http://almostdailypic.wordpress.com !

UPS Seasonal worker (high school days) – ahh the benefits!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, THOUGHTSLeave a comment

 The WordPress topic of the day is to tell a story about your most memorable job interview… hmmm… here goes. Long long ago, when I was young and still lived in Michigan, I applied at UPS to work as a seasonal employee. I remember having to drive to Timbucktoo to get a background check and be finger printed. At least they paid for it! The actual interview I can barely remember, they asked questions, I answered and they must have liked my answers because I was hired. The only way to get a permanent job with UPS was to start as a seasonal employee working during the busy holiday time. I WANTED TO WORK FOR UPS. I wanted to work in the office and wear the brown uniform. Did you know they wash their trucks EVERY SINGLE DAY? I was thrilled to be working even though it was in an open warehouse where people were lined up with packages as far as the eye could see. There were heaters, it wasn’t WARM but I wasn’t going to freeze to death either. One day it was like winning the lottery… I saw Ryba’s Fudge boxes on a cart, hundreds and hundreds of boxes of the most delictable fudge you can even imagine. As luck would have it they came to my line. If you aren’t familiar with Ryba’s Fudge, it’s a wonderful shop on Mackinac Island, Michigan. There are no cars on this island, only horses, bikes and people walking. It’s a magical place (more in a future post!), and when you’re there, you smell two things… horse poop and fudge. It’s heaven, ha ha… Pretty clever how I kind of changed this post to be about fudge rather then a job interview, eh? Ok, I have to thank Fred, my husband for that one… THANKS FRED!  If you don’t get a chance to visit Mackinac Island, you can order the fudge online (www.ryba.com) and UPS (well, used to be, not sure now) will gladly bring it to your door! The next year UPS called me again and asked if I would like to work the holidays again! YES, I replied! Then I had to ask… “Is it ok if I work with a broken leg? It doesn’t bother me at all and I can keep up”… NO, it would make me a liability. Ugh, the end of a dream… ha ha. On a brighter note…  Did I tell you that Ryba’s left me a BAG OF FUDGE for going through my line because they had so many boxes? WOOHOO… Like I said, I was in heaven!

I’m thinking about taking the weekend off… so if you don’t hear from me tomorrow, see you Monday!! If you get a chance, check out our other blog… http://almostdailypic.wordpress.com – Have a great weekend!

Are you stressed? Try Aveda Comforting Tea!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOODLeave a comment
Image via http://www.aveda.com

Are you stressed? That’s the WordPress topic of the day… Have you gotten your credit card bill in the mail after the holidays (eek) or is work catching up with you after being out for a while? Well whether you’re stressed or not, here’s something to soothe and relax you… Aveda Comforting Tea. It tastes sweet, I remember the first time I was at an Aveda store and was offered a sample cup of tea, oh my gosh, it was delicious! Wow, I’ve GOT TO get some of that! So I asked her how much tea and how much sugar, because it was just right, not too sweet, not bitter at all, just, well… heavenly!? NO SUGAR! What?? It’s naturally sweet with licorice root and peppermint. Now, I’m not a licorice fan, and had I known there was licorice root in the tea I may not have tried it, but you don’t taste licorice, the organic blend is simply amazing! You can drink it hot or cold. I’ve only had it hot. The bottle is loose tea, it also comes in tea bags (for a pretty hefty price). If you’re near an Aveda store pop in, they always have hot samples of Comforting Tea ready to hand out. I think you may get hooked! Until tomorrow!

Say bye bye to Panera’s original chicken noodle…

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, THOUGHTS7 Comments
Say bye bye to Panera’s original chicken noodle soup…

It’s a rainy day… I’ve had a cold… what’s better than some chicken noodle soup to make you feel better? Last week my husband and I were at Panera. I always order a cup of chicken noodle soup with a whole wheat baguette. We place our order and when it comes to the table there is this suspicious small carry out container… ooooh a surprise, how nice! Open it up… hmmm, more chicken noodle soup, no wait, just broth, weird. Hmmm, maybe they thought mine was too thick so they gave me extra broth to add? I took a bite of the original… oh la la, too good, those nice homemade noodles that melt in your mouth, the bite size carrots, the perfectly sized, not too big, not too small pieces of clean white chicken… heaven! Then I checked into the small container… EYEEEEWWW, what? It’s different… 99% broth, three 1″  “noodles” (if you can call them that), 1 sliver of celery and one piece of carrot the size of a pencil eraser and the most awful broth I have ever tasted in my life. Cheap. It. Tasted. CHEAP. Now keep in mind, this is my opinion (and I am sticking with it!). I had a sinking feeling this was because Panera was going to save some money and pawn this soup off as, well, soup instead of bad broth, and I was right. It was a corporate decision. The employees are not happy about it, they agree that it tastes awful. I feel for them, they’re going to hear everyone and their brother’s mother complain about it. It’s still available until 1/12/11 and then it’s gone for good. Who else has good chicken noodle soup that you know of? LET ME KNOW, this is serious! I’ve downed a good bit of it this week (or so it feels) and I’m starting to feel better now!

 
The WordPress topic of the day is DO YOU PREFER TO TALK or TEXT? I prefer different types of communication depending upon the circumstance. I would like to say that I don’t think ANYONE should text and drive, yet if I’m out and about I see it more than I can believe. I can’t imagine what families go through losing someone because someone driving couldn’t wait until they got where they were going before responding to ‘wassup?’. omg. No one in the world is so important to put anyones life in jeopardy over a phone call, text message, email or anything else. Ok, I’ll jump off my soap box now, those are just my feelings. I prefer to talk to people if I know that I’m not interrupting anything and that they are available. I prefer to text if I’m in a location where talking is difficult (on the runway) but you need to get a message (we landed, please come get us!) to someone without disrupting those around you, and I prefer to email when there are details that need to be passed along so that a) the story doesn’t get out of whack, b) there are lots of details for someone to write down (a recipe) or I want documentation that I did have contact with a certain person. How do you prefer to communicate? Until tomorrow…

Share something that makes you smile…

On By Barbara StroudIn HOMELeave a comment
Image via http://www.t-mobile.com

The WordPress daily post subject today is to share something that makes you smile… OK, it seems rather sad that I pick a phone as the “something that makes me smile”, it’s not actually the phone (although, I have to say I love this phone, and it DOES make me smile, well, most of the time)… It’s what’s ‘inside’ the phone.  A sweet message from Fred (my husband) that he left several months ago. I love his messages, his kind words, his enthusiasm, THAT is what makes me smile!  What makes you smile? An interesting subject no doubt, I had so many possibilities, then I tried to think of something where I could have the post and the image go together and tada… Blackberry Bold it is…

Here’s to many things that make you smile today! Until tomorrow…

For the irreverent and slightly jaded…

On By Barbara StroudIn HOME, THOUGHTSLeave a comment
Image via http://www.eyebobs.com

Eyewear for the irreverent and slightly jaded… Hmmm, have you seen Eyebobs reading glasses? If you’re of the age where your vision up close is heading south, you may want to try a pair of these! They’re ultra cool, check out their website! www.eyebobs.com. I know we all fight it as long as we can holding objects (omg, the MENU!) farther and farther away but there comes a point in time where you have to give it up and get some glasses, oh it’s so nice to see again.  What fun, huh? This is the pair I bought, they have lots of funky styles, check them out!

What was your best accomplishment of 2010? Hmmm, I try to think of what my best accomplishment was and I think of lots of little things but nothing substantial. Nothing that will make me sound important, ha ha… I guess to do good, help those who need it and not take the small things in life for granted. I’m very fortunate to be married to the most wonderful man in the world. I have a great life, a sweet (well, at least when he’s sleeping) dog, a house we love in a city that offers so much. So I will keep in mind during this new year not to take things for granted, no matter how small. I will love and APPRECIATE my family even more, and mostly from a distance, sigh… Until tomorrow…

Have you met Mrs. Meyer’s? AWESOME hand soap!

On By Barbara StroudIn HOME1 Comment
Image via http://www.mrsmeyers.com
Have you tried Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day hand soap? It’s wonderful! We started using it several years ago when we spotted it at Whole Foods. It has a wonderful scent (and many to choose from!), I remember our first bottle was Geranium scented… it doesn’t dry out your hands and all that jazz, very nice. I’ve seen it at Target, Walmart, even the grocery stores, keep your eyes out for it! I would like to try some of the rest of their line, check them out at www.mrsmeyers.com.
Well, my husband is on the dreadmill, uh, I mean treadmill, good for him. When he starts a (self inflicted) “get fit” program he goes 110%, while I think of different (more healthy) dinners to make, and make notes and THINK… now’s the time to get off my duff and do too… ha. I think I’ll start the year slowly deep cleaning the house and (re) organizing all the drawers and closets. I am good at that! Ha… time to get rid of excess which we are really good at since we don’t have space to store items that aren’t used. I think we’d be in trouble if we had a big house with lots of storage.
I hope the beginning of 2011 is looking bright for you! Until tomorrow…

Happy New Year… and New You??

On By Barbara StroudIn HOMELeave a comment
Photograph via http://www.vitamix.com

Happy New Year and welcome to 2011!  It’s going to be a great year, right?! I’m starting off the year with one resolution crossed off my list (starting this blog!!), ok, so I don’t really do resolutions, but at least SOMETHING crossed off my list, which feels good!

After a month (or so) of eating food that I really shouldn’t have been eating, it’s time to scale back, find something halfway healthy and get a grip. I would include a photo of our own Vitamix, but this one is prettier, ha ha… Have you ever tried a Vitamix? Awesome smoothies, they can crush ice in an instant they can even make soup! If you get a chance, give it a shot, maybe you can sneak some veggies into your day, hee hee.

I am excited to be starting another blog and I look forward to hearing your comments throughout the year. My other blog is a photoblog, you can check it out at http://almostdailypic.wordpress.com, it began as a project to try to figure out HOW to blog. It quickly became an addiction! 

Until tomorrow…